Streaming Science

In this episode of the Streaming Science: People & Nature podcast, Dr. Jamie Loizzo speaks with Jim Bays, a retired ecologist and leader of Stewards of Our Urban Lakes (SOUL), about the power of community-driven conservation and the role of co-production in environmental stewardship. Drawing on nearly five decades of experience in wetland and lake ecology, Jim shares how his work has evolved from technical science to engaging communities in hands-on restoration, education, and long-term stewardship of urban lakes. 

The conversation explores how building relationships, fostering a sense of agency, and “reading the room” are essential to successful conservation efforts, as well as how small, local actions can create meaningful environmental impact. With reflections on birds, community identity, and finding purpose through stewardship, this episode highlights how science and people come together to care for the places we share.

Stewards of Our Urban Lakes (SOUL): https://www.soulinc.org/

People & Nature: https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/

Hosted by UFAEC graduate student Adeyinka Ayodele, this episode features Dr. Rebecca Zarger discussing how communities in Tampa Bay can strengthen climate resilience through urban forestry, storytelling, and community-driven solutions like the Blue-Green Action Platform (Blue Gap Project). Explore how connecting scientific data with lived experiences can inspire meaningful environmental action and help bridge the relationship between people and nature.

Dr. Rebecca Zarger: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/anthropology/people/zarger.aspx

People & Nature Symposium: https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/

Hosted by UFAEC graduate student Emma Lauren Poole, this episode features Dr. Blake Simmons of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program discussing the purpose and impact of the People in Nature Symposium and the growing field of conservation social science. Learn how human behavior, community action, and collaboration play a critical role in addressing environmental challenges and how individuals can get involved in making a difference. 

Dr. Blake Simmons: https://tbep.org/about-tbep/our-team/

People & Nature Symposium: https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/

Meet the team behind the Streaming Science: People and Nature podcast series as they share their journeys into science communication, conservation, and storytelling. In this introductory episode, faculty and graduate students from the University of Florida's Department of Agricultural Education and Communication reflect on their experiences at the inaugural People and Nature Symposium and explore how connecting people, science, and the environment can inspire meaningful change. 

People & Nature Symposium: https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/ 

Tampa Bay has faced challenges, but it always fights back.

In this episode, I head back to my hometown to speak with scientists at the Tampa Bay Estuary Program about seagrass loss, rising temperatures, changing salinity, and what those shifts mean for the future of the Bay. From deploying temperature loggers in seagrass beds to innovative water restoration projects in local neighborhoods, this episode explores how science and community action work together to protect our coast. One thing has already been proven true- Tampa Bay does resilience like no other.

Major hurricanes. One small island. And a community like no other.

In this episode, I take you to Cedar Key. I met with local scientists and residents who are redefining what resilience really means. From a coffee shop turned food truck to living shorelines that protect the coast naturally, Cedar Key is proving that big solutions can come from small towns. Resilience isn’t just surviving the storm, it's recovering stronger than ever before and Cedar Key knows how to do just that.

Florida’s Gulf Coast is no stranger to hurricanes and environmental change- but it’s also no stranger to resilience.

In this very first episode of Weather and Whatever, I take you with me to Cedar Key and Tampa Bay to talk with scientists and community leaders about how they’re tackling shoreline erosion, water quality challenges, and seagrass loss. Turns out, the Gulf and the people who care for it are more resilient than we think. 

Google Notebook LM AAD article overview.